UNDEAD: Finding Love in the Zombie Apocalypse, Volume 1

UNDEAD: Finding Love in the Zombie Apocalypse #1

by Fumi Tsuyuhisa

Which will you find in this devastated world — love or despair?

Nineteen-year-old Hikaru Asahina lost everything the day the world ended. Everything, that is, except his childhood friend Ai Kosaka, who has always taken care of him. Now the two of them, along with other survivors, struggle to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with man-eating zombies. 

And when Ai confesses to feeling something more for Hikaru, it changes everything. After all, the more precious someone is to you, the harder it is to lose them. In a world like theirs, is something like love even possible? 

This book contains graphic violence and graphic sexual content, including sexual assault. It is only intended for audiences aged 18 and up.

Genres: Manga, Horror, LGBT, Romance, Yaoi, Zombies, Adult

178 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2021

About the author

Fumi Tsuyuhisa (native name: 露久ふみ ) is a collaborative pen name used by two artists.

Reviews

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

JAW-DROPPING GORGEOUS ART STYLE—LIKE THAT ONE SHOUJO MANGA WITH LOVE TRIANGLE AND PERFECT BOY RIVALS THAT YOU CAN'T CHOOSE FROM AND YOU WISH THEY JUST DATE EACH OTHER TO AVOID SECOND MALE LEAD SYNDROME? IT'S THAT KIND OF BEAUTY.

AND DUH? APOCALYPTIC BL? BITCH, COUNT ME IN!! OVERALL I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THIS!! SUCH A THRILLING RIDE, I NEED THE SECOND VOLUME NOW! I'm pretty sure Ai has anti-bodies, lol he better have!!

Couldn't give it a five-star though, I kinda have a minimal problem on the start of their "relationship" and was offended by They're both guys, but that doesn't matter anymore, considering what the world has become. LOL, this line is so pretentious. So douche of you sensei, to use apocalyptic setting to mask that homophobia of yours. I'm sorry, this much irritated me. I still love the story, though, if I could only rip that enraging page.

Okay. Now, I feel horrible for being too angry about it. MAYBE, it's meant to be that Hikaru is clueless about same-sex relationship yet. Okay, let's say it's like that, considering he was also confused about what he really felt for Ai. Then, my bad. I ran my mouth again. I still love it though ❤️‍🔥 Gorgeous, gorgeous art style!!

[Kate♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5stars

gay boys in the zombie apocalypse??? sign me tf up

[Anomaly · Rating 1 out of 5]

TW: Sexual assault, dubious consent, and complete lack of consent. These things are warned in the summary for this title, but here's your warning on the review since I discuss the matters briefly in it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I love the concept. Ai (who's a guy, despite his feminine-coded name) and Hikaru are childhood friends and the only 'family' each other has left in the zombie apocalypse. With no true society remaining, there's no sense worrying about taboos against same-sex relations, which is great for Ai considering he has a long-standing crush on his best friend. Hikaru, however, is lukewarm to the concept because he's always seen Ai as more of a brother and never had romantic emotions for him. They have to figure out how to navigate the exploration and boundary-setting of what may or may not be a budding relationship while also dealing with all the complications of fighting to survive against zombies. And, of course, there's ultimately sex stuff involved because, well... because it's yaoi, duh.

On paper, the concept sounds interesting. But in practice, it just didn't work for me.

We're constantly told that Ai and Hikaru are childhood best friends and mean the world to each other, but what's actually shown on page lacks any convincing chemistry. Ai says he's in love, but he doesn't act like it. I mean, I don't care for it when a character portrayed as a good guy sexually assaults the person he loves, citing inability to control the urge to make a move as the excuse. When that happens mere minutes after saving the alleged object of affection from an attempted rape by creepy strangers...? Yeah, nah, I just can't believe in the love. And Hikaru treats it mostly as the disturbing situation it is, so... Yeah. No hiding behind kink, here.

Don't get me wrong, either: if this felt like a deliberate portrayal of a dark romance, that would be cool with me. I have intense tolerances for toxicity in relationships when erotica is involved, but I need the tone to match the content. When the dark stuff is interspersed with cutesy childhood memories to show how perfect they are together and treated like some epic love story, I just feel weird and uncomfortable. And, of course, it becomes very difficult for me to feel invested in the relationship due to the extreme nature of the toxic behaviour.

The ending also sucks. It's depressing and frustrating. Not even a HFN for these guys, nope. And the person responsible for the sad ending gets the most undeserved "oh it's not your fault" coddling possible. Ick.

Or, to put it simply: I went into this expecting one thing and instead I got something completely different. I didn't care for the experience.

Even discounting my opinions on how the romance is handled, the zombie apocalypse basically just follows every possible cliche plot beat you'd expect, from the obligatory attempted rape to the close call with a zombie to the obnoxious child with no sense of self preservation to the fight over whether to treat or exile a bitten survivor to the theory that some survivors might be immune. It's basically four seasons of The Walking Dead condensed into one, with explicit sex scenes tossed in for flavour. (Also, don't get your hopes up about that last bit. The explicit scenes barely last a few panels and feel more like tiny glimpses of lewdness before fading to the next scene.)

[alex :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

you can’t tell me these two weren’t meant to be, so with that being said, they better end up together in volume two 🤨……. (please🤞🏽)

[Robert Pierson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel this would be a bit more closer to an accident zombie apocalypse will look like the artwork is nice it’s a little rapidfire in the beginning but you do get some backstory that does fill in some of the characters and this has some very “adult” moments in it for a first volume of a boys love I would say for Yaoi It’s definitely pretty good I would give us probably a 3 1/2 is a perfect no but I am looking forward to reading the second volume

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way too rapey in the beginning, but then we get some backstory and character development and the plot evens out. I ended up liking it by the end. It leaves off on an interesting cliffhanger. Too bad it's only a duology. Like others have said, the story suffers from being so surface-level, short, and bare-bones. Still worth a read. It's hard to find BL in this genre.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 262/300

hikaru lost everything the day the world ended. well, everything except his childhood friend, ai. now, the two of them are part of a group of survivors struggling to stay alive in their post-apocalyptic world. when ai confesses his feelings to hikaru, everything changes.

it’s not often i read about zombies, but this cover caught my eye as i was browsing hoopla, so i was curious to see what it had in store! of course, with this being a post-apocalyptic story, it was pretty dark and intense. this made the perfect backdrop for hikaru and ai’s emerging love story, as it created a lot of tension between them and others. this volume ended in a tough spot, so i’m hoping to read the sequel soon to see where the story goes!

[kay! ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

"But it was without a doubt you who lit up my heart. When I see your smiling face…I felt for the first time ever that the world was dazzling."

the art is a 10/10 but i couldn’t get into the story :/ the romance between hikaru and ai had potential but. idk? it fell flat big time until the last 20 or so pages which sucks.

here’s to hoping the next volume is more enjoyable because i really do want to like this manga 😭

[rory (jess' version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

soulmates 🥺

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strong yaoi manga that I thought captured the intensity of a zombie apocalypse quite well. I loved both main characters, and also the two side characters we meet. The ending of this broke my heart though. Since the physical copy of volume 2 doesn't release until January, I'm strongly considering reading volume 2 digitally; I need these characters to have a happy ending.

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot - 3 ⭐️
Character - 3 ⭐️
Writing Style - 3 ⭐️
World Building - 3 ⭐️
Art - 3 ⭐️
Cover - 3 ⭐️

Overall - 3 ⭐️

[Mystic DreamClouds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying I was looking for a spooky read for the fall season and this was far from it.

I enjoy stories the most when they make me feel for the characters and I laugh or cry alongside them. This is one of those series for me. The story follows two characters who are childhood friends, where Ai has had feelings for Hikaru for a long time. Ai has suppressed his feelings for so long but at the same time, he doesn’t want to hurt Hikaru and ruin what they have. In this world, where life is only a step away from death, will their love story begin or end.

Honestly, I felt bad for Ai. He’s been holding on to an unrequited love for so long and it must be exhausting. Though, what Ai did to Hikaru after he was almost gang raped was just as bad if not, worse. Besides that, Ai is a good character because he’s kind and protective of Hikaru. I think in hindsight, Ai has done a lot for Hikaru and I hope he comes back to us in volume two.

Hikaru is a kind yet somewhat annoying character. He’s the type of character who comes off as self-sacrificing because he puts others’ needs first. Although that’s a good thing, he doesn’t think through things sometimes and also acts without thinking. Although there are quite a few characters who act impulsively which basically is the reason the plot progresses.

The plot in this volume is interesting but not uncommon. The first three quarters of the book focuses on developing the world’s situation and our main characters. The last quarter focuses primarily on Ai and Hikaru. Currently there isn’t anything complex in the manga and the story revolves around Ai having been injured and left.

The artwork is interesting. It’s descriptive in the character designs although some of them look highly similar which makes it hard to tell them apart. However, there are only a few backgrounds and iconographic panels.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It’s possible because it was my first zombie apocalypse type story but I somehow got attached to the characters. The ending made me cry and I’m eager to pick up volume two soon.

Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf

[Wayward Skyril · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the ideal BL manga for the impatient reader. While I was hoping for more world's story development and plot, this manga focused very closely on the relationship between Ai and Hikaru and read speedily with immediate progression from one scene to the next. While I enjoyed it and will read the second volume - especially since I already borrowed the digital copy from Cloud Library AND volume one ends on a cliffhanger - it's not nearly as dark and gory as I was expecting from the cover or the idea of a romance during a zombie apocalypse.
Somehow, this is terribly cute, instead, despite the subtle undertones of pseudo-incest xD
Spicy scenes are brief and largely closed-door/fade-to-black.


UNDEAD: Volume 1 ***Trigger Warnings***:

~Attempted rape
~Dubious consent
~Mild blood/gore
~Past physical/emotional abuse by a parent to their child

[g · Rating 3 out of 5]

the art is soooo good, but the pacing is too fast. it's hard to connect with characters given there's no downtime to understand them better. also i have to point out the really lacking sexual consent between the protags.

[Swathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. The romance is good but the artwork and the background is amazing. I thought this was going to be a bad walking dead manga but I'm now sad I didn't read it before. Though, it's a two parter and I think the cliffhanger ending would have killed me.

[Andrea]

I'll definitely be reading vol 2.

[Bulma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[[melanie] · Rating 1 out of 5]

the story felt very… flat… (and went from zero to a hundred faster than a porsche taycan)

[任煦涵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idk why this has a middle-low rating it’s so cute and sad

[☽｡⋆ Naidah ₊˚ෆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was something I was wanting to read for a while but never did. Now that I have, the story is very interesting. Gave me walking dead/all of us are dead vibes obviously mixed with bl BUT the romance was so weird and it felt too forced even in the whole apocalyptic world. Definitely wanna know what happens next though.

[Ary · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'd reather die togheter with you than left behind"
Una sorta di Maze Runner dove Ai, come Newt, viene infettato e Hikaru - una sorta di Thomas ma senza la leadership di Thomas- capisce di amarlo profondamente solo quando è troppo "tardi". Un cliché. Ma amo i cliché, dopo lo studio necessito di letture easy. Spero che esca al più presto il secondo volume.


P.S Ai che seppellisce i corpi dei genitori di Hikaru...best personaggio.

[dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conflicted!! The story wasn't really hitting any special points in my heart. It was pretty average and typical of the BL zombie genre (not that I've read many but still, lol!) where there's a couple, they have a dubcon moment (this specific one did bother me but it's also typical of BL sooo), and then something bad happens. Still, I feel like the more that I read, the more I became interested in their backgrounds. Much tamer than I thought I'd be too, which gives it a bit of a mature edge. The volume does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and I'm curious what will happen next!

It's got 3.5 potential

[Frank Chillura (OhYouRead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if The Walking Dead started 2 male MC’s, one of which happened to be in love with the other? That’s what Undead felt like. An episode of TWD, but set in Japan. I really loved it and didn’t want it to end. I already have the second volume, which I’ll be reading tomorrow, but I’m really excited!!!!

[Bettina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

[✮Octjillery✮ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgeous art completely let down by a lack of consent (initially) between the main characters.

[I review for my own sake/to help me remember things, so this is generally a spoiler-y review.]

Hikaru (19) and Ai (21) have been close since they were kids. They grew up next door to each other, and Hikaru's parents did their best to care for Ai when they could due to his horrific mother/home life. The story starts a year into a zombie apocalypse, and the friends have been surviving together alone, up until two months ago when they were joined by Yukio (28, doctor), and Kaname (30, cop).

The crew is headed to a mall to gather supplies. While there, Hikaru is cornered by a group of men who assault him. Ai arrives in the nick of time to save him, but then also starts to force himself on Hikarubecause he loves him and apparently seeing the person you love almost getting raped is cause to do the same to them?? Hikaru stops it and they regroup and head back to their base.

The rest is Hikaru remembering some of their childhood together, debating whether Ai is just "family" to him or if he feels the same way, and some bangin'. New people arrive, including a pregnant woman and her daughter. Kaname decides they need to take a trip to the hospital, which is where the highest concentration of zombies is. Hikaru, Ai, Kaname, and a rando from the new group head off to gather supplies, and as they're trying to figure out a means to escape once they have said supplies, the little girl pops out of the ceiling, having followed them secretly.

Little girl is almost snatched up by a zombie, Ai gets a bite on his hand. Hikaru is devastated and argues with the rest of the group when they return, not wanting to just toss Ai out. They bang again, and the next morning, Ai has disappeared.


While the art is lovely, Ai's actions after saving Hikaru from the other group of men in the mall are inexcusable. Why would THAT be your first reaction? "Oh, you were about to be raped so let me get in there first to stake a claim."

Since this is just a duology, I'm going to read the second, but what would have just been a simple, pretty decent read with good art is truly blemished by that disgusting behavior.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Series: Undead: Finding Love in the Zombie Apocalypse #1
Rating: 2 stars - It was ok

TW: on page attempted rape; lack of consent and dubious consent; death of parents; abusive parent;

This was the story of two friends who are trying to survive a zombie apocalypse when one admits that he has feelings for the other. While I enjoyed aspects of Ai and Hikaru’s story, other aspects were concerning. Ai doesn’t admit his feelings until Hikaru is almost sexually assaulted and then he touches Hikaru without his consent while professing his feelings. It was very jarring and not romantic at all, which was another issue with this. Ai says he has been in love with Hikaru since they were kids but his actions don’t show any romance really. Hikaru struggles with Ai’s feelings but also just lets him do what he wants with him in the relationship, which was disappointing.

This basically had a dark romance vibe which I wish I had known going into it but I still think I am going to read the next book to find out what happens to these two after this cliffhanger of an ending.

[Meagan (FranticVampireReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

…………. 3.5 stars ………….

Okay so. This one kind of started off as a semi-toxic, red flag, unrequited love situation that moved through lots of layers very quickly into an “I think I like you and I can’t live without you” situation. And I’m kind of here for it? I think there probably should have been a trigger warning for some non-con and dub-con reasons at the beginning of the book, but otherwise this was great for a start to a zombie apocalypse romance.

I don’t read a lot of zombie stories and I loved that this manga had some of the typical things you see in the zombie apocalypse genre: survivors sticking together, someone needing medical help, someone getting bitten while trying to save others, ect. I also kind of loved that this was a horror romance (which seems to be a new favorite sub genre for me 😂). Anyway! Undead: Finding Love In The Zombie Apocalypse vol 1 is getting 3.5 stars from me and I’m very excited to read the next volume because this one left off on a cliffhanger.

[Bee C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. It left off on a cliffhanger so now I want to read vol 2. A zombie apocalypse has broken out and our main characters have been surviving with the help of a few others. Hikaru and Ai have been together since they were kids and think of each other as family. One night Hikaru wakes up and finds Ai having sex with one of their party members and is shocked. While avoiding Ai, Hikaru goes to gather supplies and gets kidnapped by other survivors that want to sexually assault him. When Ai realizes Hikaru has disappeared he goes to rescue his friend. Once safe and the assailants have been killed off, Ai confesses his feelings for Hikaru. We spend the rest of the volume watching them survive, bring in other survivors and Hikaru trying to figure out what he feels for Ai. Then Ai gets bit. 😱 He leaves. 😭 what’s Hikaru to do now? 😩

[Pink · Rating 3 out of 5]

book is more like a 3.5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest but it took some time to warm up to the characters and really understand the dynamics of Ai and Hikaru because they were kinda just sprung together due to the assault. Although after everything clears up and then the dynamics of the current survival group really grows. Let it be known Shiori is a precious ANGEL and I wish her and her family nothing but the best in such a cruel world. Anywho--Ai and Hikaru really do grow after the whole assault scene and I did grow attached to the dynamics and Hikaru slowly realizes the attachment he has for Ai turns into love.

But also the ending??? Ugh Ai is so selfless it hurts a little. Will definitely keep my eye out for volume 2!!

[estherbookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

CW: Sexual assault, rape, nonconsensual kiss, explicit, nudity, blood, violence, language, guns, body horror.

Now why didn't I get the second volume when I should've because now I need to hunt it down. There's enough of a good pacing for the action with the zombie fighting and then a sprinkle of romance. Well, if it can even be called romance. Personally, I'm not digging Ai because of how he treats Hikaru. So far, the story is lacking in the amount of zombie encounters. I guess I was expecting something like Resident Evil or World War Z with a flood of zombies every which way. I had this on my Halloween/spooky season lineup based on the title and featuring zombies. It's an okay read so far.